Looking to buy my son a smart watch for his 18th, I’d like it to be,

Analogue
Some form of metal
Around £200

Whats available?

That’s not a limiting amount of factors really… Start having a look here and filtering down:

http://www.watchshop.com/

With that budget you’ll be looking at quartz movement.

The fashion houses (Boss, Armani etc) all have nice-looking watches at that price point but personally I wear a watch made in Switzerland by people who just make watches, not suits and jeans.

Tissot are one of a few Swiss watchmakers who have watches at this pricepoint. Something like this?

Oh and get it engraved. I couldn’t think of a better 18th present from your dad than a good watch.

My eldest will get my watch, but he’ll have to wait until I die. I’ll be getting my youngest a watch for his 18th that will last him a lifetime and he will pass on to his kids.

Tissot is wear I would spend my money. I say this as I got bought a Tissot for my 18th for a very similar budget. Today I am double that age and I am wearing on my wrist that very same watch. It’s had 1 service in that time and it is still going strong.

After much consideration involving the sister and cousin of my 21 yr Nephew, we bought the gun metal Nixon Chrono.

Plenty of nice seiko automatics to be had for that budget…

Or Seiko Kinetic’s from Creation as well.

Pretty timeless and ageless:
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-divers-60/seiko-kinetic-divers-200m-ska371-ska371p1-ska371p-mens-watch-1235.html

i like storm watches. They are a bit different to the norm

CWC G10?
Classic watch.

Standard response

Seiko SNDA57P1. Replace the stock strap with a Timefactors NATO one though.

‘The awesome brand for surf, snow and skate. Recognised as a world leader in high end fashion watches, Nixon is one of the coolest and most desirable watch brands around today.’

Not a brand I was familiar with….but now i iz down wiv the kidz! 8)

The last dog 😀

“dooosuk – Member
Or Seiko Kinetic’s from Creation as well.

Pretty timeless and ageless:
http://www.creationwatches.com/products/seiko-divers-60/seiko-kinetic-divers-200m-ska371-ska371p1-ska371p-mens-watch-1235.html “

A cracking watch those, I`ve had one for the past 8 years and for £148 a bloody bargain!!

Get one from a proper watch manufacturer in a classic design if you want him to keep it. Mine is/was never particularly fashionable but it’s a classic design that I can and still do wear 18 years later and suspect I’ll be saying the same in another 18 years. You’ll not do that with most of the Nixon or Storm watches.

Personally I wouldn’t touch any of the fashion brands(exceptions being Cartier and Hermes but there way over £200), most of them have pretty cheap basic movements all your money is going into funding their marketing,
plus resale value is pennies(bare in mind there may come a time he might want to move it on).

Tissot and Seiko are both good calls, along with Orient.
If you can stretch the budget another £100 then some Hamiltons are available also.

Or my favourites would be over at Timefactors, either a Everest or Seafire,both English made watches with a great reputation.
http://www.timefactors.com/smiths.htm

Christopher Ward would be where I’d spend my money. Nice watches.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000B5MI3Q/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_2/276-9137677-3909357?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe&pf_rd_r=14ZE0Q3ZW3NJXTJR4622&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=569136327&pf_rd_i=B000B5MI40
This will last years. Avoid the nixon junk.

Some good ideas there folks.

To be honest, if it’s for an 18th, something special would be nice, as I guess you want him to be able to keep it forever

Couple of options
– classic Seiko made the year he was born, try ebay
– Modded Seiko, so it’s slightly special. Would come in on budget, try Yobokies/Harold Ng – I have a Seiko from him

98 Seiko

*spews*

Another vote for Orient here, £200 will easily get you something better than the fashion brands, try a Bambino for something classic and dressy or a Mako USA for a sporty diver.

I think most 18 year olds would prefer a Hugo Boss or Armani watch to a Seiko. The watches from the fashion houses may have inferior parts but they all do the same job.

Seiko diver’s, 7s26 series. Timeless classic, and it’ll be working great when he’s wearing it on his 50th birthday

Some of those Smiths watches are really nice ….. I. Do. Not. Need. Another. Watch.

Have a look at Certina on http://www.uhrenlounge.de. You can barter with them!

200 quid? Bering perhaps? Solar or Titanium, or the Radio versions, all pretty good looking, and not exactly ten a penny.

To go slightly higher, you’d get a Steinhart Ocean 1 for £285. They’re lovely watches, well made and I think very good value for money.

As above you can’t go wrong with a Seiko.

Or as a left-field choice there are some good watches to be found on Kickstarter. Especially if you are looking for something a bit different, such as a retro inspired watch. For that price you should be looking for Sapphire glass and at least a decent (Seiko or Citizen) quartz movement.

https://www.nitewatches.com/store/gb/watch-search/nato-na6-300t/

Any good?

Depending on what sort of style he’d like, Mondaine do some very nice, simple watches.
Skagen also do nice watches and are perhaps a bit more dressy.

Seiko automatic. It’ll still be beating for his retirement party!

In full “recommend what you own” style, I would recommend this:
Seiko SKX007

But ditch the ugly rubber strap and stick it on a NATO strap instead.

I’ve got three Nixon watches that I bought ‘cos they were cheap(ish) and looked great. I haven’t really worn them since buying this…